At a local Republican event Saturday, state Sen. Kirk Dillard, voiced his belief that the state legislature should not focus on social issues, but should focus on the state's financial woes.

A Western Illinois University alumnus, Dillard, R-Hinsdale, spoke at the McDonough County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner Saturday night at the University Union. He said the state legislature's priority should not be on "superfluous issues" such as gun control and gay marriage, but on the state's current budget crisis.

"The legislature should do nothing else other than focus on the state's biggest problem, which is solving the pension crisis and also making the state a place that businesses will grow and expand," Dillard said, adding that the legislature, which is on vacation for a couple of weeks, should never have left Springfield.

In terms of pension reform that he would actually support, Dillard said he will "support any pension plan that works actuarially."

"We only get one bite at the apple, so whatever we do has to be significant enough to get the state its credit rating back," he said.

Aside from the state's pension woes, Dillard cited the state's regulatory process in regard to business as the other primary challenge Illinois faces.

"Illinois needs to have its regulatory process for businesses work at the speed of businesses not at the speed of government," he said.

The best way for the state to attract new businesses, Dillard said, is to convert communities that focused on manufacturing, such as Joliet, Bolingbrook and Galesburg, into communities with distribution-based economies.

"One of the things Illinois does have going for us is we do have a diverse economy," he said. "Agriculture is our No. 1 job creator — it's a quarter of all jobs. But Illinois needs to use its geographic location and good infrastructure to our advantage."

One industry that Dillard said could bring "thousands of jobs" to downstate Illinois is fracking, the technique through which fluids are used to release petroleum or natural gas from fractures in rock layers.

"If done safely and properly, Illinois absolutely should allow franking," he said. "Look at what its done for the economy in North Dakota. It's been a boom industry. The potential in southeastern Illinois for thousands of jobs … is enormous".

Dillard acknowledged that there are environmental concerns in regard to fracking, but he said he feels those concerns "can be overcome."

Running for governor in 2014

On Saturday, Dillard described himself as a "suburbanite with strong downstate roots," adding that because of this, he feels he is the only Republican candidate who will be able to win a statewide race for governor.

Dillard lost the Republican nomination for governor in 2010 to Sen. Bill Brady, R- Bloomington, by a margin of 193 votes.

Page 2 of 2 - "Last time there were five people from DuPage county running," he said. " If any of the five were not there he would have won pretty handily."

Although Dillard has not yet formally announced his intention to run, he said he plans to do so when the legislature "goes home officially."